LAVALETTE — A relatively cool and damp morning gave way to bright sunshine and heat, but nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the golfers at Silo Golf Course Saturday for the 18th Annual Eric Sparks Memorial Golf Outing.

More than 196 golfers came out to participate in the outing which benefits the Eric Sparks Scholarship Fund at West Virginia Wesleyan and C-K youth sports.

Eric Sparks was an outstanding student athlete at Ceredo Kenova High School, graduating in 1995. He was regarded as a leader and role model for all young people in the community. At the end of his sophomore year at West Virginia Wesleyan College he was killed after attending a church outing at the Kenova United Methodist Church.

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The Wayne County News has been going through some changes lately. Among those changes was the news staff abandoning our offices upstairs for more comfy digs on the first floor.

Like any move, there were some logistics involved. Chief among them was moving hundreds upon hundreds of photos from filing cabinets throughout the various rooms upstairs and bringing them downstairs. Now myself and Managing Editor Michael Hupp have taken the task of sorting and organizing these photos. In sports, I’ve been working to catalog photos based on school. It’s been a real kick to see pictures of coaches and some people who I’ve come to know as an adult and see them in their teenage years. It’s hard to imagine some of them as ever being teenagers but there they are in all their athletic glory.

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Vinson versus Barboursville. Date and players unknown.

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WINNING SMILES — The foursome of Matt Wilson, Nate Earl, Fred Smith and Colten Brumfield won the Drives for Digs golf tournament last weekend at Silo Golf Course. The event was hosted by the Wayne High School volleyball team as a fundraiser. Photo courtesy Melissa Booton at Through Melissa’s Lens Photography

LAVALETTE — By all accounts, the first Drives for Digs fundraiser to benefit Wayne High School volleyball team was a success.

The event was hosted at Silo Golf Course on July 19. The foursome of Matt Wilson, Nate Earl, Fred Smith and Colten Brumfield won the tournament. The Wayne volleyball team wanted to thank the sponsors of the event for helping make it a success.

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Six girls from Wayne County went to Gallipolis, Ohio, on July 18 and 19 to compete in The Hoop Project, the city’s 3-on-3 basketball competition. Playing under the team name “Dynamite Girls,” the girls went undefeated in their 11-12 year old division and they were also champions in the playoff game. Each girl received a t-shirt, trophy and signed the 2015 Wall of Champions. Pictured from left to right are Lynndsey Cassell, Katelyn Kelly, Jasmine Tabor, Haley Wallace, Kierstin Stroud and Kaylea Clark. Lynndsey, Katelyn and Kaylea attend Buffalo Middle School. Jasmine, Haley and Kierstin attend Wayne Middle School. Submitted photo

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GETTING A LIFT — Former WVU lineman and Seattle Seahawks rookie Mark Glowinski picks up a camper during the Buffalo Youth Football Camp. Submitted photo

BUFFALO – It was hard to tell Saturday afternoon if the kids or the players from West Virginia University were having more fun during the Buffalo Youth Football Camp.

Former Spring Valley High School and current WVU football player Elijah Wellman, along with several other WVU players coached this year’s camp the league’s first player camp.

“We had a great chance to come out and give back to the community right here around Buffalo Creek. High school football is great. College football is great, but the memories right here on this field playing little league football where I played in some crazy games on and have such great memories of is awesome. It is great to see the community come out and continue their support,” Wellman said.

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SPRING VALLEY - In the last three weeks there wasn’t a day when rain didn’t descend on the Tri-State.

Given the recent history of the ValleyBall 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament it was expected by everyone that Sunday’s games would feature some type of delay.

However, Sunday was potentially the final championship day in ValleyBall history, and not even Mother Nature wanted to get in the way of a proper ending to the tournament at RPA Memorial Park in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Huntington.

The sky stayed blue, but the court action was red hot as Eric Sparks Memorial took down Team Fleming, 61-43, to claim the overall championship. Worst Team In It proved it was anything but, battling back to take the “Maybe Next Year” bracket with a 55-50 win over Magic Johnsons.

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SPRING VALLEY — The theme of the 2015 ValleyBall 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament has become “One Last Run” with the 30th anniversary likely being the finale at RPA Memorial Park in the Spring Valley neighborhood.

That final run begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday when teams take the court in search of the ValleyBall prize — the coveted “Champions” T-Shirt and, more importantly, bragging rights.

“I’m just in it for the shirt,” longtime ValleyBall competitor Dustin Smith said. While the tournament is a competition, it is also a social event for the community and many players plan their summer vacations around the weekend.

Past tournaments had A and B divisions, but this year has a different look with all 21 teams competing in a one-division format. Once teams suffer their second loss and are knocked out of the main draw, they will enter into a different classification called the “Maybe Next Year” bracket, which plays on a team’s futility and the possibility of someone stepping in to take the tournament over in future years.

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MAKING AN IMPRESSION — Three girls from Wayne County recently participated in the Rio Grande basketball camp. All three special honors and all-stars at the camp. Jasmine Tabor, a sixth grader at Wayne won the three-point shot, hot shot and foul shot competitions and was awarded the hustle award. Haley Wallace, a seventh grader from Wayne was awarded the MVP award. Lilly Zorns won defensive player of the week. Pictured are, from left, Jasmine Tabor, Katelyn Kelly, Lilly Zorns and Haley Wallace, a sixth grader at Buffalo. Submitted photo

SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE — With his mom Lisa and father Frankie, with little brother Isaac by his side, former Wayne standout Kodie Bowen signs a letter of intent to play baseball at Marshall University. The signing took place along the third baseline at Mitch Stadium in Ceredo. Photo courtesy Lisa Bowen.

WAYNE — When Kodie Bowen was a kid he played for C-K Little League at Mitch Stadium in Ceredo.

“It’s where the love (for baseball) began,” Bowen said.

On Saturday, in front of family and friends, Bowen returned to The Mitch where he signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Marshall University. During the festivities, one of Bowen’s former coaches Chad Baumgardner addresed the small crowd gathered.

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REMEMBERING THE COAL SOX — The West Virginia Coal Sox were one of the first teams in the independent Frontier League. The team played home games at Wayne High School. While the Coal Sox didn’t survive the first season, the Frontier League grew and expanded to teams located in suburbs of major cities like Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Read more about Wayne’s only minor league team in Wednesday’s Wayne County News. Submitted photo

WAYNE — Professional baseball has, historically, had a hard time getting a foothold in the Tri-State area.

Teams have come and gone mostly in Huntington. But for a few weeks during the summer of 1993, Wayne was the home to a professional baseball franchise.

The West Virginia Coal Sox were one of the original teams of the Frontier League. The Frontier League currently boasts teams in locations like Florence, Ky., And Washington, Pa., but its seeds were planted in our area. The Coal Sox were managed by legendary Wayne High School coach George Brumfield and played on the high school’s baseball field.

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CEREDO — Milton came up empty on its first three scoring chances. The Greyhounds got a fourth opportunity in the bottom of the fifth inning and finally cashed in.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Tyler Irwin blooped a single to shallow right to drive home two runs and Griff Weatherholt followed with an RBI single up the middle to cap a three-run rally and power Milton to a 4-2 victory over Ceredo-Kenova in the West Virginia District 1 Little League 11-12 Division runner-up game Sunday at Mitch Stadium. The Greyhounds advance to the State Tournament scheduled to start July 23 in Petersburg. Barboursville won the District 1 title Saturday to secure the first slot.

“It was tough. Me as a coach I make mistakes like everybody else,” Milton coach Craig Jackson said. “Two strikes and Tyler gets the big little hit. We got a break. I wasn’t stopping the kid from second because their guy was holding the ball. I’m proud of him, proud of the entire team, too.”

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TEACHER AND COACH — Coach Phil Davis, is pictured teaching young players at a camp at Chesapeake High School in 2011. HD Media file photo

WAYNE — Former Buffalo High School and Chesapeake High School coach Phil Davis died Friday at his home in Lavalette after a long battle with cancer.

Davis, 69, coached and taught at Buffalo High School for 20 years. He coached football, wrestling and track before becoming a teacher and coach of the same sports at Chesapeake High School until his retirement in 2011.

In all, Davis spent 43 years as a coach and educator. Former students and athletes shared their thoughts and sympathies on social media.

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WAYNE — It was a three-peat for the AAU Thunder 7th grade girls basketball team in Cincinnati last weekend. In fact, the only time this team has finished worse than first was in 2012 when they finished 2nd.

Helping to lead the Thunder is Wayne Middle School star Bailee Adkins. Adins netted 17 points in the championship game for the Thunder.

“We have a good program,” coach Shannon Lewis said. “The Thunder program is 20 years old and it’s the premier team in the state.”

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The USA Stars, a 14U girls fast pitch softball team from the area, swept the 16U division of the Firecracker Frenzy ASA Tournament held this past weekend in South Charleston.

The Stars were undefeated (3-0) in pool play on Friday and Saturday, earning the number two seed in the bracketed tournament held on Sunday. The Stars won the 16U division, beating the No. 7 seed (9-0), the No. 3 seed (2-1) and it took an extra inning to beat the No. 1 seed (5-3) for the championship. The USA Stars were the only 14U team playing in the 16U division.

Gracie Donato was the winning pitcher in the quarterfinal game and Harlie Vannatter was the winning pitcher in the semi-final and championship game. Tanner King caught all three games.

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HUNTINGTON — Clutch fielding and a home run helped propel C-K 11-12 Wonders past Vinson 5-1 in the opening round of the District 1 Little League Tournament at Vinson. C-K struck early with a run in the first inning.

The Wonders scored again in the fourth and fifth innings with Zac Watts adding the capper with a home run in the sixth inning.

Vinson’s only run came in the fourth inning. C-K/Vinson was just one of the games in the 11-12 baseball tournament which began Wednesday.

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After the 9 a.m. announcements campers go through approximately timed daily routines consisting of stretching/slides, four fundamental stations, group games, 20 minute lectures about the game followed by camper of the day awards. Each station is designed to sharpen the skills of the players through ball handling/passing, shooting, rebounding/transition, and defensive drills. Maynard, head coach of the Spring Valley Timberwolves, is sticking to the traditional formula instilled into him by his peers while attending basketball camps in his youth.

The foremost camp objectives are to stress proper fundamentals and a strong work ethic. Camp time runs from 9 a.m. until noon and will continue until Thursday when the campers will compete in group contest and close with the awards for that day. Parents, families and those interested in next year’s camp are welcome to attend. Group contest will begin at 10:20 a.m. Thursday with awards being handed out at 11:45 a.m. The camp will then come to a close at noon.

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THE WINNERS — The Eastside Bombsquad were the last ones standing at the end of Westmorelapalooza Dodgeball Tournament. WCN photo by Michael Hupp

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ON TARGET — A Spring Valley receiver makes a fingertip catch as a Wayne defender looks on during the 7-on-7 Tournament at Huntington High School on Wednesday. WCN photo by Michael Hupp

HUNTINGTON — More than the weather was warming up at Huntington High School on Wednesday.

Warm ups for football season took on a competitive tone at the 7-on-7 tournament at Big Sang Field at Huntington High School.

All three Wayne County teams competed with Spring Valley and Tolsia making it into the championship bracket.

Tolsia was eliminated in the first round by George Washington while Spring Valley made it to the semifinals where it lost to South Charleston.

Coaches use the 7-on-7 competitions to teach and learn what they have in the skill positions.

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SURROUNDED — Wayne’s Kade Sebastian feels the Timberwolves close in for the stop. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

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SALUTE THE FLYING W — Grant Ferguson looks to the scoreboard and points to the Flying W on his helmet, a Wayne tradition signifying playing for the team, in the closing seconds of the North South All-Star football game on Saturday. WCN staff photo

CHARLESTON — Heavy rains and win put a damper on everything including the scoring.

Ripley’s Jake Martin caught a tipped pass from Westside’s Justin Cogar for a 5-yard touchdown late in the third quarter Saturday night and the South made it stand up for a 7-0 victory in the 62nd WCHS 8 Fox 11 North-South All-Star Classic at Laidley Field.

The TD pass appeared to bounce off the hands of Cabell Midland running back Alex Childers and into Martin’s arms, capping an 11-play, 46-yard drive. The South extended its all-time lead in the series to 40-19-3, and recorded the game’s first shutout since a 22-0 South victory in 2009.

Wayne’s Grant Ferguson, playing in his final football game, had 30 yards rushing on three attempts.

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TALKING IT OUT — Wayne Football Coach Tom Harmon talks with players during summer drills at Wayne High School this week. The Pioneers will join Tolsia, Spring Valley and other area football teams for a 7-on-7 camp at Huntington High School today at Bob Sang Field. Photo courtesy Amy Sturdivant at Sturdivant photography.

JUST MISSED — A Kane Morrone pass sails off the fingertips of Mason Brubeck during a scrimmage against Hurricane at the Marshall University 7-on-7 football camp on Wednesday. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

HUNTINGTON — Spring Valley Coach Brad Dingess is pleased with what he saw out of his defense on Wednesday.

The Timberwolves got its first taste of football competition in 2015 at Marshall’s 7-on-7

football camp at the Kennedy Center on W.Va. 2. “We were a lot more aggressive on defense,” Dingess said. ‘We knocked a lot of balls down. So it wasn’t bad. We only had two practices before going there, but we’re getting a lot of guys back.”

The big question mark for Spring Valley this fall could be the quarterback position. “We have four kids we’re looking at,” Dingess said. “All of them have things they can do to help us. But they have big shoes to fill. We’ll know more when we get pads on. We’ll see who’s more physical in running the football.”

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A CLEAN SWEEP — Two players from Wayne County teams were a part of the South’s sweep of the tripleheader at the North-South Softball All-Star Game. Pictured from Wayne County are Spring Valley’s Jade Spurlock, front row immediate left, and Wayne’s Jaycee Parsons, second row, third from right. Submitted photo

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MAKING A COMEBACK — The Buffalo Middle School football team will once again take to the field after a two-year absence. WCN photo by Michael Hupp

KENOVA – The Buffalo Middle School football team is returning to action this Fall after a two-year hiatus.

The squad won the Wayne County Middle School Championship in 2012 only to fold the next year. That was the first year as a head coach for Ryan Wellman. The 2012 squad featured several players from Ceredo-Kenova Middle School after it folded its season earlier that year.

Players from Buffalo have played for C-K the last two seasons, but this year’s squad has featured 18 kids at summer practices this past week.

“I expect about five or six more. We are just glad to get back onto the field,” Wellman said. Wellman said the fact the Buffalo Youth League’s numbers have increased the past several years is why there was finally a middle school team this season. For several years, Buffalo struggled to field an A-Team or B-Team at the youth levels, but that has changed the past few seasons allowing numbers to replenish.

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MEETING THE MEDIA — Grant Ferguson talks with a reporter from WOWK during the West Virginia Football Coaches Association WCHS-TV/Fox 11 North-South All-Star Football Classic Media Day at West Virginia State University on Tuesday. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

Sitting among his teammates in the Gregory V. Monroe Athletic Complex at West Virginia State University during media day for the West Virginia Football Coaches Association WCHS-TV/Fox 11 North-South All-Star Football Classic, Ferguson chatted with fellow members of the South Cardinals as if they had known each other for an entire season.

“We’re getting along great,” Ferguson said. “It’s like we’ve been together for weeks now. These guys are great. Everyone up here are great athletes and it’s an honor to be with them.”

Ferguson, wearing his familiar number 10 on the bright red jersey, is expected to take snaps as a quarterback and defensive back in Saturday’s All-Star game.

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Jake Davis locks on to his target, the red blocking dummy, during Wayne Youth Football Camp last week. Football camps and conditioning drills are starting throughout the county from youth league to high school. While the weather now may be hot and sticky, these young gridiron hopefuls will be ready when there’s a chill in the air and the leaves begin to turn and football season is once again in full swing. Photos courtesy Sturdivant Photography

COACHING THEM UP — Coach Todd Milum helps Ethan Bowen during a drill.

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DISHING THE ROCK — Young campers compete against one another during the Nike Basketball Camp at Wayne High School. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

WAYNE — In case there was any doubt about who was behind the basketball camp, the familiar Nike “Swoosh” adorned the backboards and signs around the gym at Wayne High School this week. And the kids participating seemed to love it.

Matt Wilson, a Nike Basketball Skills Trainer who leads the camp, said he hoped to have 40 campers participate this year. He had 45.

‘We’ve been drilling it and skilling it the whole time and had some fun doing it,” Wilson said with a smile as wide as the gymnasium.

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Many kids have come though the camp learning the fundamentals of basketball. The results of the camp can be seen in coaches and instructors at this years camp who were once campers themselves.

“Some of the instructors who are now coaches came up in the camp,” Morrone said. “We’ve had a lot of high-profile guests and a lot of local guests who can share stories of how they once were in this camp, too.”

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WAYNE — The honors keep coming for two of Wayne County’s best baseball players. Wayne’s Kodie Bowen and Spring Valley’s Zack Harvey were picked for the South roster in this year’s baseball North South All-Star Classic.

The Classic will be played Sunday, June 7 at Hurricane High School.

The Classic, hosted by the West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association, provides one last opportunity for the top senior high school baseball players to showcase their talents in front of family, friends, college coaches and scouts.

Harvey and Bowen are friends off the field so it makes the selection extra special. “We played together from the time we were seven up until we went to different high schools,” Bowen said.

Going FOR THE DOUBLE — Vinson Dodgers players Joseph Daugherty and Jamison Smith get the first out of an attempted double play on Tuesday during the Les Ghiz Tournament at League 3. WCN photos by Scott Parsons

AT THE DISH — Chucky McCloud takes his turn at bat for the Vinson Little League Bestitle Mets Tuesday during the Les Ghiz Tournament at League 3 in Huntington.

Chapmanville’s Trey Dalton was dialed in pitching five and a third innings allowing only 4 hits and no runs. He struck out seven.

Offensively, the Tigers did their damage in the third when Thompson hit an RBI triple to score Jacob Dingess. Alex Berry’s hit scored Thompson.

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TAKING A CUT — Wayne’s Brad Sharp takes a swing at a Lawrence County pitch during Saturday’s game at Wayne. Sharp ripped the pitch down the first base line for a lead off single in the bottom of the 6th inning. WCN photo by Greg Turner

WAYNE – Cody Noe brought home the winning run to give Wayne the lead in the sixth inning, as the Pioneers hung on to beat Lawerence County 3-2 on Saturday.

With the score tied at two in the sixth inning, Jacob Cassidy scored on Noe’s single.

Brad Sharp had a good day at the plate going 2-2 scoring a run and tallying an RBI. He scored the tieing run in the bottom of the 6th for the Pioneers.

Dakota McCloud was sharp on the mound against the Bulldogs. McCloud struck out eight batter, allowed no earned runs on two hits and two walks over five innings.

Kodie Bowen got the win in relief for Wayne. Bowen pitched two innings and allowed no runs.

Brock Turner took the loss for Lawerence County but still had a solid day on the bump. He pitched six innings, walked two, struck out two, and allowed three runs.

FREEZE FRAME — Dakota McCloud delivers a pitch to Lawrence County's Brock Turner in the first inning at Pioneer Field. McCloud struck out eight, allowed no earned runs on two hits with two walks over five innings. WCN photo

Misc

Wonders come together
for annual banquet

BY MICHAEL HUPP
Managing Editor

KENOVA – There are many great sports towns throughout the country, but none locally rival Ceredo-Kenova’s history and Friday night several members of the community came together to honor the town’s rich sports heritage.

Every year on the fourth Friday in July for the past 18 years, the community comes together for the annual C-K Sports Weekend Celebration. Folks gather to honor a past Ceredo-Kenova athlete great and remember Eric Sparks. Sparks was a former standout – who was tragically killed on July 26, 1997.

Sparks’ family started the weekend to honor Eric and to raise money for the C-K sports community.

This year’s honorees were the 1975 state championship football team, the 1995 Class A state baseball champion (which Sparks was a senior player on) as well as the 1965 championship football team.

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Noodling: A Wayne County tradition?

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

Back when I had basic cable, I would watch the countless hours of mind-numbing programming offered by channels like History and Discovery.

I call that era of my life “Scott B.C.” That’s “Scott Before Children” for those of you scoring at home.

On these networks were, and presumably still are, hours of “reality” television shows following the exploits of Bearing Sea fishermen, pawn brokers and people with horribly disgusting jobs. However, my curiosity piqued any time noodler’s were featured on these networks.

For me, noodling was something relatively new that only crazy people, and the dad of one of my old girlfriends did to shock me. OK, to be fair, I could have just left it at crazy people and covered the man in that last sentence.

If you’re unfamiliar, noodling is the practice of catching catfish by hand. The fisherman will reach into river or creek banks, under submerged rocks or in sunken logs feeling for a catfish and encouraging it to bite their hand. Once the fish is in hand, the fisherman will bring the fish to the surface thus catching the fish.

Sometimes this works. Sometimes it hasn’t. A few times a fisherman has stumbled upon a fish stronger than he is and the fish just holds the person under water.

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BIG WINNER — Tim Stollings poses with his High Point Award at the West Virginia Long Course State Championships. Submitted photo

Stollings wins at state swimming championship

Staff report

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Tim Stollings, of Prichard, is the 2015 boys 13-14 age group high point award winner and individual state champion coming out of the USA Swimming sanctioned West Virginia Long Course State Championship held July 17th through July 19th.

At the championship meet, Tim took 1st place in all 10 of his events, which included the 50 and 100 meter races in freestyle, and 100 and 200 meter races in each of backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke, plus the 200 and 400 meter individual medley events in which swimmers swim all four strokes within different legs of the same race.

The two and one-half day meet drew swimmers from 13 teams. The long course format used for the meet requires a pool 50 meters in length, like those seen in the Olympics.

There are no pools of that length in West Virginia. As a result, as it has been for a number of years, the venue for the meet was the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, in Christiansburg, VA, home to the Virginia Tech swim team.

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Lucas speaker at C-K Sports Weekend Banquet

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

KENOVA — The eighteenth annual Ceredo-Kenova Sports Celebration will be this weekend, July 24 and 25.

The dinner will be Friday at the Kenova United Methodist Church. Dave Lucas will be the speaker. Lucas is a C-K and Marshall graduate and former coach at Coal Grove High School for 32 years.

Lucas was a part of the 1965 state championship team. He received all-state and All-American honors. He played football and track while at Marshall.

He began his coaching career at Fairland High School before taking over the helm at Coal Grove.

At Coal Grove he amassed a record of 249 wins and 111 losses. He won 20 conference titles and was named Coach of the Year 20 times.

Lucas has coached in the North-South football game three times, represented his region at the state level for 15 years, served on the National Football rules Advisory Committee, was president of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association from 1985 to 1996 and was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003.

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The world may be better at fútbol, but football is
all American

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

Before reading this be warned — I’m an insensitive, jingoistic bigot. At least that’s what I’m lead to believe on social media.

Why you ask? Because I believe a flag is just a flag. I believe we have a mental health problem and not a gun problem in this country. I believe that no amount of plastic surgery, makeup, white dresses or self affirmation will make you a women when your chromosomes say you’re a man. Looking at you Bruce. Finally, I believe the United States, even with all her flaws, is still a pretty awesome place and should be the best and a beacon of hope in a dark world.

It’s with that final thought I must admit I have been following with delight the U.S. team’s run through International Federation of American Football World Championship.

The IFAF plays the world championship every four years. This year it’s being played in the birthplace of professional football Canton, Ohio.

What the American squad, made up of undrafted former college players, is doing is nothing short of ridiculous. I mean playing Madden football on the easy setting ridiculous.

In the opener, USA beat Mexico 30-6. Sounds like an impressive beating until you watched more games and say what the American’s did in the following rounds.

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Most Valuable Player

MVP – On July 9, 2015 Clay Robertson and his Huntington Thunder 2nd Grade team won the Nationals in Orlando. Clay was named the MVP of the tournament. Clay attends school at buffalo Elementary. Congratulations Clay! Submitted photo

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FIRST PITCH — Coal Sox starting pitcher Rob Jackson lets go of the first-ever pitch by a Coal Sox pitcher during the first game against the Tri-State Tomahawks. The Coal Sox won the game 1-0. WCN file photo by Chris Spencer.

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THE LEADER — Chuck Wentz crosses 152 during the final leg of the 4th Annual Kristen Stiltner Scholarship 5K Run/Walk in Wayne on Friday. Wentz was the first overall finisher with a time of 16:40. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

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Staff reports

The search for a head basketball coach at Tolsia High School continues.

Football coach and administrator Mike Smith’s name was brought before the Wayne County Board of Education for approval as the head coach under Superintendent Sandra Pertee’s recommendation. The interview committee obviously thought he was the best candidate after the county implemented a new rubric for selecting coaches to ensure fairness in the process.
Smith’s name is not listed under the personnel hires on the WCBOE website.

The only reason we can come up with is that Smith is currently the head football coach and an administrator at the school. Perhaps Smith too many irons in the fire for the BOE’s liking?

In our opinion, Smith was a no-brainer as the selection. He has won a championship on the hardwood. He would bring stability to a program that has had two consecutive one-and-done head coaches. The kids know and the community knows him.

Now it will be back to the drawing board.

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Body Issue gives me issues with my body

Each year ESPN’s magazine publishes an issue which features athletes in the nude. You could call them tasteful nudes in that no private parts are visible, but it’s still naked athletes showing off their chiselled physiques for the masses.

Talk about giving a guy a complex.

If you’ve ever seen me out at an event, it’s no secret I don’t take care of myself. At 41, I really should start getting to the gym more often. But once upon a time I was fairly athletic.

Like millions of others, I played football in high school. I also was raised on a cattle farm where the daily and weekend work were more taxing than any weight lifting or cardio routine I ever encountered.

Also, my family relied on wood heat in the winter so I was also tasked with helping dad cut, split and stack wood. This job also required dad to cut down trees, often in a hollow on the farm, and my job was to hook the chain around the felled tree and then to the tractor. Dad pulled the tree up the hill to the ridge where the tree could dry before we cut it into wood in a few months. That left me walking or sometimes running up the hills to disconnect the chain from the log. Do that a dozen or so times and it all combines to a pretty physically fit young man.

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ICYMI

Staff report

Many people throughout the sports scene in West Virginia have began speculating the classification numbers and one Wayne County School is right in the thick of discussions.

The WVSSAC reevaluates student enrollment figures every four years and this is the last of this four-year cycle. The WVSSAC will look at fall enrollment figures to determine whether schools throughout the state will compete at the AAA (largest schools), AA or A (smallest schools) level.

Currently Spring Valley is Wayne County’s only AAA school. According to projections, they will remain AAA with an estimated 1,090 students. Wayne is currently AA and is projected to have with 759 students. If the WVSSAC uses the 778-student or more cut-off for the alignments of AAA/AA, then Wayne will be the third largest AA school in the state.

That leaves Tolsia and that is where the speculation begins. Tolsia was one of the smallest AA schools in the state at last student count. The Rebels are projected to have 417 students. The last cutoff was 429 students for the AA/A cutoff. If the projections hold true, Tolsia will become the third largest A school in the state.

If that happens, Tolsia will more than likely have to leave the Cardinal Conference leaving scheduling as a nightmare. The Wayne and Tolsia opening or ending regular season rivalry game will come to an end.

Do not know if anyone has paid attention the last few years, but there are not a whole lot of A schools in driving distance for Tolsia to schedule. Instead of Chapmanville, Sissonville, Herbert Hoover and Poca – new teams on the schedule will be surely new/old rival Tug Valley, Van, and Buffalo will be on the schedule. Man is expected to move back to AA or they would have been included on the list.

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The University of Kentucky press release summed up his accomplishments as follows: Set six NCAA records, four SEC records and 11 school records for passing and total offense ... Four-year starter at quarterback ... Career totals feature 862 completions in 1,514 attempts for 10,354 yards and 78 touchdowns ... Added 12 rushing touchdowns during his career ... Two-year semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award ... Named second-team All-SEC by both the Associated Press and the Coaches ... SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in 2000 ... Team captain as a junior and senior.

When you think 300 pounds and football you think lineman. But Lorenzen was essentially a lineman with a cannon for a left arm.

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ICYMI

Staff report

Former Wayne baseball standout Kodie Bowen is reportedly ready to sign with Marshall University as a walk-on.

Bowen was the only senior for the Pioneers this season and was one of the team leaders on the field.
•••
In a move that surprised exactly no one, Brad Napier was hired as coach at Chapmanville.

Here’s what Logan Banner Sports Editor Paul Adkins wrote about it:

When Mark Hatcher resigned recently as the Logan High School boys’ basketball coach, it started a chain reaction.

As early as late April, Hatcher was expected to resign his post as the Wildcats’ mentor and start a coaching carousel in southern West Virginia.

His dad, Allan Hatcher, the Chapmanville Regional High School coach, was expected to be his replacement at Logan.

Then, in the projected pattern, Mingo Central coach Brad Napier was expected to resign his position and be Allan Hatcher’s replacement at Chapmanville.

It all held true as the final piece of the puzzle went into place on Thursday with Napier’s hiring at Chapmanville at the Logan County Board of Education meeting. He handed in his resignation just recently at MCHS

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Olivia Slone

Spring Valley soccer star Slone signs with Rio Grane

By TIM STEPHENS
HD Media

SPRING VALLEY – University of Rio Grande women’s soccer coach Callum Morris received an assist in recruiting from a 2-year-old.

Spring Valley High School girls soccer standout Olivia Slone signed to play at URG and the close proximity to home, particularly to her brother, Billie, 2, was a huge factor. Rio Grande is located in Gallia County, Ohio, about one hour away from Slone’s home.

“Being able to come home and see my little brother played a part in my decision,” Slone said. “Outside of the season, I can come home on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

Slone shares a special bond with her brother. She played with him inside and outside of Spring Valley’s auditorium before being interviewed about her signing. He giggled as he tried to escape her clutches and she chased him across the tile.

Slone’s boyfriend, Timberwolves baseball player Zack Harvey, also signed with Rio Grande, where he plans to pitch and play shortstop. Harvey’s decision didn’t factor in to Slone’s, however, as she signed first.

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Local angler makes splash in fishing world

By CODY LYNCH
HD Media

WAYNE – There’s a good chance that a human being will experience fishing at least once in their lifetime.

Many will make it a frequent hobby. Fishing means different things to different people whether it’s just for fun, a way to relax near some water, a way to put food on the table, – or for some people like Joshua Franklin, it becomes an enjoyable, but serious business.

The Wayne County resident, as of late has officially made one of his favorite life-long hobbies into a profitable enterprise. Some of us could only dream of making something we do in our leisure time into something that pays off, because most of fishermen have more “fish stories” than fish actually caught, but Franklin is now making that a reality.

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Zack Harvey

Harvey signs to play with RedStorm

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

SPRING VALLEY — Spring Valley’s Zack Harvey has a storm in his future. More specifically a RedStorm.

Harvey signed Thursday to play baseball for the University of Rio Grande and he couldn’t be more pleased.

“I visited campus and fell in love with it,” he said. “I liked the baseball program and it’s homey out there.”

Harvey, who was also recruited by Marietta and WV Tech, says he hopes to play both shortstop and pitch, both of which he was quite successful at in high school.

In his senior year, Harvey had 91 at bats and tallied 31 hits for a.340 batting average. On the mound he had four wins, two losses, three saves, and two no-hitters.

Harvey could get playing time early as the RedStorm lost four pitchers of last season’s 35-22 team that won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NAIA regional.

“His upside is his arm strength,” Rio Grande Coach Brad Warnimont said. “He only weighs 155 pounds so he’s got a lot of growing and maturing to do. I came to watch him and his last pitch of the day was 85 mph. I can see him getting stronger and throwing 87 or 88. He has a wealth of potential.”

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South downs North in shootout

By GRANT TRAYLOR
HD Media

SOUTH CHARLESTON — In a basketball all-star game it’s easy for players to get into an individual scoring mentality.

All it took to erase that individualism Friday night in the North-South All-Star Basketball Classic game in the South Charleston Community Center was one look at the scoreboard early in the second half.

The North squad led by 17 at halftime and stretched it to 24 points before the South’s defense took over. The South went on a furious run in the final 15 minutes of the game, erased the deficit and took a 115-106 victory.

“At first everyone gets into the mindset of ‘It’s an all-star game and we don’t care,’” Huntington High’s Anthony Meadows said. “That’s when you start getting lackadaisical and they jumped on us. In the second half it got real competitive and we were playing defense. We had to stop their shooters because they were shooting on us.”

The North put up 70 points in the first half, but the South allowed only 36 in the final 20-minute half.

With the result hanging in the balance, Spring Valley’s Jacob Kilgore came up with some of the game’s biggest plays in a quick three-minute spurt.

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Bowen, Noe, McCloud named to AA All-State team

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

WAYNE — Kodie Bowen leads a trio of Pioneers in being named to the Class AA All-State Team by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Bowen, the only senior on this season’s Wayne squad, was named a utility player on the first team. He hit .279 for the Pioneers. He accounted for 19 RBI and scored 17 runs with three home runs on the season.

Dakota McCloud was named to the second team as a pitcher.

McCloud pitched 60 and a third innings, had a record of 5-5 and tallied an ERA of 1.276.

Cody Noe earned special honorable mention honors. Noe hit .432 in 81 at bats. He had a .960 fielding percentage.

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Jackson leads five Timberwolves on All-State team

HD Media

Spring Valley’s Brooke Jackson was named to the first team Class AAA All-State team as a utility selection.

She leads four other Timberwolves in being selected to the All-State roster.

Making Special Honorable mention was Haleigh Christopher and Haley Caldwell.

Jade Spurlock and Taylor Scott were named Honorable Mention.

Mussleman’s Sabrina Schroades was named captain of the first team.

Heading into the state tournament, Shroades had allowed just five earned runs in 91 innings of work on the season while striking out 204 batters — an average of more than two per inning — en route to a 13-1 record.

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Zack Harvey

Harvey earns first-team All-MSAC honors

Staff report

HUNTINGTON — Spring Valley’s Zack Harvey was a first team All-Mountain State Athletic Conference selection.

Harvey, a senior pitcher/short stop, was listed as a pitcher on the first team roster with a record of 3-1.

Timberwolves outfielder Casey Kelly and utility player Tyler Robertson were named to the second team.

Jonah Wellman was named all-conference honorable mention.

MSAC champs Hurricane had three first team selections on the all-conference team. Pitcher J.T. Rogoszewski, shortstop Trey Dawson and designated hitter Tate Brock — all seniors — represented the Redskins on the first unit.

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Wayne softball players earn all-state honors

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

WAYNE — Six softball players from this year’s Pioneers squad earned All-State honors from the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Kasey Endicott was named to the first team. The senior hit .448 this season and lead the team in RBI with 30.

Jacey Parsons was named the captain of the second team. Parsons, who injured her shoulder and had to sit out a few games, had a fielding percentage of .976 and hit .333.

Tara Watts was also named to the second team. Watts, a junior, hit .349 this season.

Pitching ace Emily Thompson was named second team. Thompson had a 1.736 ERA in 96.2 innings pitched.

Savannah Perry and Rileigh Parsons were given Special Honorable Mention honors.

Perry hit .254 with a .317 slugging percentage.

Parsons was great as the teams catcher. She had a 1.000 fielding percentage, meaning she was perfect behind the plate. In 196 chances, she registered 182 putouts and 14 assists.

Allie Maynard received honorable mention honors.

Maynard hit .338 and tallied 15 RBI.

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I’m not wired to be a sports dad

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports editor

At a recent Little League tournament I heard two sets of parents talking about a player.

“I can’t believe they have him playing. Can you? I mean he’s only hitting in the .290s.”

“I know. Johnny said it causes him to panic at the plate because he knows Timmy likely wont get a hit to move him over.”

I listened as they continued to talk about this child, a teammate of their child, as if he were the broken link keeping their special little snowflake from making his Major League debut next spring.

The kid in question is 10-years-old. The adults in question were acting like 10-year-olds.

So it goes in youth sports. Where every parent thinks their kid is the star of the team. In rare cases this is true. But like I said, it’s rare.

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ICYMI

WCN Staff

Welcome to the first installment of a new weekly feature in the Wayne County News called #ICYMI: In Case You Missed It.

You’ll notice our graphic features a coffee-stained note with a typeface that looks hand written. It’s a homage to the countless notes and gallons of caffeinated beverages consumed in a week to bring the sports to you. Sometimes we can’t get everything in the paper so here’s a chance for us to play “catch up” and put out short bits of information.

Notes for this segment are taken from social media posts from other newspapers and media outlets and, most importantly, our own work in the field.

If you have a rumor or news nugget you think would be great for #ICYMI, please let us know via email at sports@waynecountynews.com; on Twitter at sports editor Scott Parsons account @ScottPWCN; our Facebook page www.facebook.com/WCNSPORTS or just give us a call (304) 272-3010 ext. 222.

Well, no better way to kick off the segment with a rumor. Apparently four Wayne county freshmen will not be playing at Spring Valley next season for head coach Bo Miller’s Lady Timberwolves basketball team. Rumor has it that Buffalo’s Haley McComas will attend Wayne High School next season. Three more players will attend Huntington St. Joe. Buffalo’s Paige Shy, along with Vinson’s Errin Kay and Griffyn Ellison are expected to play for the Lady Irish. We are not sure the reasoning behind this decision, given Spring Valley’s success the past several years and the loss of several starters.

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Lady Pioneers lead county with all conference nods

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports editor

WAYNE — The Lady Pioneers were honored with three players named to the All-Cardinal Conference first team.

Kasey Endicott, Emly Thompson and Tara Watts were honored for their play in a season that saw the Lady Pioneers win a sectional title.

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Valley softball places two on MSAC first team

By MICHAEL HUPP
Managing Editor

SPRING VALLEY – Spring Valley softball players Jade Spurlock and Brooke Jackson were named to the All-Mountain State Athletic conference first team this week.

Spurlock, a senior third-baseman wowed opposing teams with her solid defense at the hot-corner. She has signed to continue her career at Kentucky Christian next year.

Jackson, who played beside Spurlock at shortstop, helped Spring Valley to culminate one of the best left-infields in the state this season. The junior returns next season. She also saw some action on the mound for the Lady Wolves this season.

Overall, Spring Valley placed five players on the All-MSAC squad.

Junior first-baseman Taylor Scott was named to the second team. Haley Caldwell, who saw most of her time at second base and on the mound, was selected special honorable mention.

Catcher Haley Christopher was named honorable mention. Both Caldwell and Christopher return next season.

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Region IV exerts dominance in softball

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

WAYNE — Late in the high school softball regular season, Wayne High School senior Brooke Smith noted that the hardest part of the post season was getting past the Region. She said whoever won Region IV would win the state title in Class AA.

Her senior teammates agreed.

A future in prognosticating could be in their futures.

Region IV not only won in Class AA, but the region swept all three classes at the W.Va. State Softball Tournament.

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Is asking for a baseball team in our area too much?

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

Many have dreamed. Many have died waiting for that dream to come true.

Chicago Cubs fans, you may ask?

Well, yes, but not in this instance.

I’m talking about minor league baseball in Huntington or the surrounding areas.

The Huntington Cubs, a rookie level affiliate of the aforementioned Chicago Cubs, played from 1990 to 1994 in the Appalachian League. Before them, you have to go back to 1942 to the Mountain State League to find the Huntington Jewels. The Jewels were an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns.

Since the Cubs packed their bags and left town it’s been a revolving door of various independent league teams, like the Rampage or the Rail Kings, none of which were able to get a foothold in the soil around Huntington.

If you’re a baseball fan, it’s been a long, hard, never-ending winter of baseball discontent.

Even our little burg of Wayne was tantalizingly close to having a team once. The West Virginia Coal Sox formed in 1993 as part of the Frontier League. The team went 3-7 before folding operations.

Our area is surrounded by baseball options. None of which are easy to get to for a person of meager means with two kids, like me.

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WINNER — Jacob Kilgore poses with his medals at the WV State Track Meet in Charleston. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

Win helps Kilgore put to rest 2014 false start

Kilgore, haunted by a false start that knocked him out of the Class AAA boys 400 a year ago, got off the line OK this time and blitzed the field, winning in 49.09 seconds in his final appearance in the West Virginia High School Track Championships at Laidley Field.

“Been waiting on this for four years,” a happy Kilgore said after the race. “I finally got it.”

Kilgore, a senior, had hooked up with Cabell Midland’s Daniel Jarrell for some tight 400s during the regular season and regional. Saturday, Jarrell pulled a hamstring during the race, came in eighth and didn’t run again. So Kilgore pulled away from Will Walker of George Washington down the stretch to win. Walker was second in 49.71.

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Spring Valley’s Kilgore true class act

By MICHAEL HUPP
Managing Editor

Spring Valley out-going senior Jacob Kilgore is just the kind of kid you cannot help but root for.

I have had the privilege of covering some of the decade’s top prep athletes in West Virginia throughout my career, but this season will stand out to me more than ever. Not only because Spring Valley had the state’s top lineman, another going on to play at Marshall, a record-breaking quarterback, or a great girl’s basketball team led by a group of classy outgoing seniors – but because of Kilgore’s accomplishments.

Not only was he the MSAC Player of the Year in both basketball and track, but he was also named the state’s top basketball player.

Pretty impressive for a kid that looks like he should be on a Broadway remake of the “Wizard of Oz” playing the Scarecrow.

What really makes this kid an exception is that unlike the Scarecrow, Kilgore does have a brain. How many kids do you know go into pre-med and decided to just walk-on to play basketball at the same university? I can only name one right now and I am writing this column about him.

And what can you say about his character that has not already been said?

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GIVING BACK — Jeff Smith works on the new baseball field at Vinson Middle School. Submitted photo

Smith just carrying on a family tradition

By MICHAEL HUPP
Managing Editor

WESTMORELAND – For years, Vinson High School graduate and lifelong Westmoreland resident Jeff Smith watched his family give back to the community.

Smith’s father and grandfather both maintained the athletic fields at the former Vinson High School for years. They not only gave pride to a community, but instilled the same values of service in the younger Smith.

“My grandfather played ball here. I grew up on that football field,” Smith said pointing at the field behind him.

Vinson’s fields had gone into disrepair after the high school was consolidated into Spring Valley. The football field saw wear and tear after years of neglect along with several years minus a middle school team. The baseball field had become an eyesore in the community, with its last game played in 1999.

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WINDING UP — Spring Valley’s Austin McCloud pitches during the third inning on Thursday against Cabell Midland. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

Cabell Midland rallies past Wolves

By TIM STEPHENS
HD Media

SPRING VALLEY — In mid-April, Cabell Midland likely would have lost a baseball game when it trailed 4-1 in the fifth inning.

What a difference one month has made in the Knights.

Kirk Jennings hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Brady Elkins with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday to give Cabell Midland a 5-4 victory over Spring Valley in the Class AAA, Region IV, Section 4 semifinals. The Knights advance to Friday’s 5:30 p.m. championship game against Huntington High at Spring Valley.

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LONG, GLORIOUS HAIR — Josh Mitts trots off the field during the sectional final against Mingo Central Tuesday night. WCN photo by Scott Parsons

Josh Mitts is Wayne baseball’s ‘mane man’

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

Go to a Wayne High School baseball and set your sights on the outfield when the Pioneers are on the field.

With any luck, you’ll see a fly ball lifted to the deeper parts of the park. But don’t keep you eye on the ball. Watch the outfielder tracking the ball.

Or more specifically, watch the golden locks of Josh Mitts flow in the wind as he deftly moves under the ball.

When it comes to fantastic follicles, Mitts is Wayne’s “mane man.” Did you see what I did there? Yeah, I’m pretty proud of that.

Mitts could be a throw back to the 1980s when hair metal bands ruled the world. His hair stands out among his teammates who all sport crossly cropped haircuts. It’s an attention getter, and Mitts is just fine with that.

When someone has hair like Mitts, the curious nature of a writer forced me to find out more about this young man — specifically, more about his hair.

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Kilgore qualifies for state meet

By MICHAEL HUPP
Managing Editor

SPRING VALLEY – Spring Valley’s Jacob Kilgore is a step closer to bringing home another state championship in track.

The senior sprinter set a track record Thursday night in the 400m with a 46.9 time. He then took first in the 800m at the Region IV track meet at Cabell Midland High School. The wins come after Kilgore finished second last week in the 400m at the MSAC Championships. He finished seventh in the 800m.

Despite the poor showing last week, Kilgore was also named the MSAC Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year. He was named the State Player of the Year and MSAC Player of the Year in basketball earlier this year.

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Wayne track & field athletes win events at Region IV meet

Staff report

CHARLESTON — Wayne High School athletes won four events Thursday in the Class AA, Region IV track and field meet at Laidley Field.

Katie Napier, a Wayne sophomore, was first in two girls events, the 800-meter run with a time of 2:41.02 and the 1600 with a time of 6:00.90.

Wayne sophomore Mica Mathis was first in the girls shot put (31-feet, 7.50 inches) and placed second in the discus (89-2).

Kade Sebastian of the Pioneers, a junior, won the boys 100 with a time off 11.28 seconds.

Wayne’s girls took second place in the 4x800 relay with Hailey Lunsford, Napier, Shelby Adams and Jamaylan Ray (11:16.50) and were fourth in the 4x400 with Kendra Francis, Lunsford, Napier and Adams (4:36.51).

For the Wayne boys, Mason Adkins finished second in the 800 (2:09.01). Adkins also ran with Brian Robertson, Isaiah Mathis and Ben Thompson on the runner-up 4x800 relay (9:22.16).

A third-place finish was recorded by the Wayne boys (Adkins, Thompson, Seth Napier, Robertson) in the 4x400 with a time of 3:50.07.

Christian Buckley from Poca set meet records while winning the shot put (59-10) and discus (186-9). Shawn Arthur from Poca won the boys 110 hurdles (16.0).

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Lady Pioneers ready to face Chapmanville

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports editor

WAYNE — If anyone doubts how serious the Wayne Lady Pioneers are about winning another state title, just go down to the softball field at 10 p.m. or 5:30 a.m. You’ll likely find them practicing.

Wayne hosts the regional semifinal on Thursday against Chapmanville.
The Lady Pioneers have beaten the Tigers two times this year in the regular season.

The first time Emily Thomson had 13 strikeouts and Wayne got past Chapmanville 3-2 in eight innings. That game featured five lead changes. Ali Maynard hit a solo home run in the eigth inning to ead the Pioneers to the win.

The second time Wayne beat Chapmanville was a game split over the course of a week.

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Kilgore takes aim at regionals

By SCOTT PARSONS
Sports Editor

Spring Valley’s Jacob Kilgore is done with school.

The senior is no longer required to get up early and make his way to the high school for a day of reading, writing and arithmetic.

But he still has some unfinished business as a Timberwolf athlete.

Kilgore will be competing in the Region IV track meet at Cabell Midland High School in the 200m, 400m and 800m events.

“I’ve got 12 days left of track,” Kilgore said. “After that, I’m on to basketball.”

Kilgore has signed to play as an invited walk-on with Marshall University.

Even though he does not have to go to school each day, Kilgore is still staying focused.

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Wayne wins six events in conference track meet

Staff report

POCA, W.Va. - Wayne High School athletes won six events Thursday in the Cardinal Conference track and field meet at Poca High School.

Herbert Hoover was the girls team champion while Poca won the boys meet.

Katie Napier from Wayne was a double winner in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:35.91 and the 1600 with a time of 6:04.84. Mica Mathis of the Pioneers won the shot put (32-feet, 6.50 inches) and discus (88-8.25).

Wayne’s girls also won the 4x800 relay. Shelby Adams, Hailey Lunsford, Savanna Mays and Napier had a time of 11:46.00.

Kade Sebastian from Wayne was a winner in the boys 100-meter run with a time of 11.09 seconds.

Mingo Central’s girls won two events. Tyshira Joplin was first in the long jump (15-0.50) and ran the 4x100 relay with Alexa Fields, Amber Hensley and Mikashia Rhodes (54.56).

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